Jim was bored. He flung himself onto the sofa, burying his head in one of the many pillows, closing his eyes. He liked to be comfortable in his house. There were sofas and pillows, blankets and duvets everywhere. He'd slept in every room of the house, including the bathroom, that memorable night he'd got so drunk, he mistook the shower head for a real person, and proceeded to take it off the hook, and curl up around it. As Jim nuzzled his face into the pillow, his stubble rubbing against the sofa, he heard the door open and he immediately froze, pretending to be asleep.

Closing the door quietly behind her, suspecting Jim to be busy, she snuck into the living room, heading towards the stairs. She was carrying a small box; a present for Jim which she intended to give to him for his birthday. She froze, almost dropping the box as she saw him in a heap on the sofa. Letting out a small sigh of relief as she thought he was asleep, she placed the box into one of the drawers, sliding down next to him on the sofa, grinning evilly. She laughed quietly, moving her hands to tickle him, but he'd already rolled over, grabbing her wrists. Her eyes widened at first, before she burst out laughing, and he relaxed, pulling her down on top of him. "Thought you could get away with sneaking up on me, did you?" She grinned again, cheekily before pressing her forehead to his, whispering. "I can't get away with anything, with you. You'd have got me back somehow." He chuckled and kissed her softly. "That's true." He paused briefly, before continuing. "So, what's in the box? Is it for my birthday? Is it?" He was still grinning, getting more excited with each question, and it took all her effort to keep him where he was, and stop him from opening it then and there. "Patience, my dear. You'll see soon enough" He growled a little, and frowned. "That means it is. Give me a clue?" She shook her head and he growled again. "Pleeeeeeease?" She chuckled, pressing her nose to his. "No." He sighed and rolled over, tipping her off the sofa playfully. She sat up, only to have him rest his feet on her shoulders, and she giggled, pulling him down, over the top of her head, onto the floor.

He snuggled up to her, pulling her closer, smiling happily. It was nice to get a break from work. Once he'd finally acknowledged the fact he loved her to himself, he could relax. He brought in protective measures, to keep her safe, such as 24/7 surveillance, and chauffeurs to drive her anywhere. He'd also taught her basic self protection, and when he went away, always left his best sniper behind to stay with her. He couldn't risk anything happening to her. She accepted everything he put into place, without question. She wasn't keen on being hurt either, but she did worry about him, even when he was out of the firing line. It was moments like these that made everything worth it. Even if it was a few seconds, those special moments where they both felt safe, where nothing could go wrong, where they were so in love that nothing bad could happen, those moments were what made the absences better. They had a lot of lazy mornings, lying in bed together, talking, and snuggling. Jim was surprisingly affectionate when he wanted to be, and he made sure he never left without letting her know how special she was to him. When he returned, he always bore gifts. She never cared about the presents. Yes, they were beautiful, the dresses, the necklaces, everything. But she only cared for one thing. Him.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.